Systems and method for media transfer

ABSTRACT

Components of a mobile traffic network and components in communication with the network cooperate to confirm whether a mobile station user or account owner has previously purchased media content for a particular mobile station. Media content that has already been purchased by a user can be downloaded by that user to a new mobile station after the initial mobile station is lost, damaged, or upgraded.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/763,739 Filed Apr. 20, 2010 entitled “SYSTEMSAND METHOD FOR MEDIA TRANSFER,” now U.S. Pat. No. 8,521,150, thedisclosure of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

As mobile station processing power continues to increase along with thespeed at which media content (e.g., software applications and/or mediasuch as ringtones, music, video, etc.) can be downloaded over-the-air,mobile network providers are offering more and more media content foruse by the end-users of mobile stations. As the catalogs of mediacontent continue to grow, it becomes increasingly common for end-usersto purchase media content that may be of interest to them and todownload such media content to a particular mobile station.

Often a user spends significant time and money purchasing mobile devicemedia content for a particular mobile station. In the event that themobile station is lost or damaged or the user desires to upgrade orreplace the mobile station, the user typically has to remember whichmedia content was previously purchased for the initial device and thenrepurchase the media content for the replacement or upgraded device.Thus, the user may not accurately remember all media content that was onthe initial mobile station, and may be forced to pay twice for the mediacontent that is remembered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord withthe present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation.In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similarelements.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram that depicts various components ofan exemplary mobile communications network.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing various aspects of a media transfer formobile stations.

FIG. 3 is a simplified functional block diagram of a computer that maybe configured as a host or server.

FIG. 4 is a simplified functional block diagram of a personal computeror other work station or terminal device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilledin the art that the present teachings may be practiced without suchdetails. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components,and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, withoutdetail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the presentteachings.

Functionality, systems, and methods for transferring mobile stationmedia to a mobile station are shown and described. By use of such, theend-user of a mobile station, e.g., a cell phone customer, can transferalready purchased media content from one mobile station to anothermobile station, such as a replacement, e.g., a certified like-newreplacement (CLNR) or upgraded mobile station. Thus, the end-user canreplace at no cost media content that has already been purchased for aparticular mobile station, e.g., one that has been lost, damaged, orupgraded.

Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and discussed below. FIG. 1 illustrates a mobilecommunication network 10 as may be operated by a carrier or serviceprovider to provide a wide range of mobile communication services andancillary services or features to its subscriber customers andassociated mobile station (MS) users. The elements collectivelyindicated by the reference numeral 10 generally are elements of thenetwork and are operated by or on behalf of the carrier, although themobile stations may be sold to and owned by the carrier's customers. Themobile communication network 10 provides communications between mobilestations as well as communications for the mobile stations with networksand stations (not shown) outside the mobile communication network 10.

The wireless mobile communication network 10 might be implemented as anetwork conforming to the code division multiple access (CDMA) IS-95standard, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) wireless IPnetwork standard or the Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO) standard, theGlobal System for Mobile (GSM) communication standard, a time divisionmultiple access (TDMA) standard or other standards used for publicmobile wireless communications. The mobile stations 13 may be capable ofconventional voice telephone communications and data communications.

For purposes of later discussion, several mobile stations 13 appear inthe drawing, to represent examples of the mobile stations that mayreceive various services via the mobile communication network 10. Forexample, the mobile stations 13 can receive and execute applications orother media content written in various programming languages.

Mobile stations 13 can take the form of portable handsets, smart-phonesor personal digital assistants, although they may be implemented inother form factors The media content can be configured to execute onmany different types of mobile stations 13. For example, a mobilestation application can be written to execute on a binary runtimeenvironment for mobile (BREW-based) mobile station. In furtherinstances, a mobile station application can be written to execute on aWindows Mobile based mobile station, Android, I-Phone, Java Mobile, orRIM based mobile station such as a BlackBerry or the like. These typesof devices can employ a multi-tasking operating system.

The mobile station 13 allows the end-user to select the media contentfor download to the mobile station. For example, the end-user canreceive a messaging service message (e.g., a SMS message) from variousnetwork elements or components in communication with the mobilecommunications network cooperate to transmit and download desired mediacontent for use on the mobile station(s) 13.

The mobile communication network 10 can be implemented by a number ofinterconnected networks. Hence, the overall network 10 may include anumber of radio access networks (RANs), as well as regional groundnetworks interconnecting a number of RANs and a wide area network (WAN)interconnecting the regional ground networks to core network elements. Aregional portion of the network 10, such as that serving mobile stations13, can include one or more RANs and a regional circuit and/or packetswitched network and associated signaling network facilities.

Physical elements of a RAN operated by one of the mobile serviceproviders or carriers, include a number of base stations represented inthe example by the base stations (BSs) 19. Although not separatelyshown, such a base station 19 can include a base transceiver system(BTS), which can communicate via an antennae system at the site of basestation and over the airlink with one or more of the mobile stations 13,when the mobile stations are within range. Each base station can includea BTS coupled to several antennae mounted on a radio tower within acoverage area often referred to as a “cell.” The BTS is the part of theradio network that sends and receives RF signals to/from the mobilestations 13 that are served by the base station 19.

The radio access networks can also include a traffic network representedgenerally by the cloud at 21, which carries the user communications anddata for the mobile stations 13 between the base stations 19 and otherelements with or through which the mobile stations communicate. In someexamples, the mobile traffic network 21 includes network elements thatsupport mobile station media content transfer services such as mobileswitching centers (MSCs) 30, signal transfer points (STP) 34, and anapplication server (App. Server) 32. The network can also include otherelements that support functionality other than media content transferservices such as messaging service messages and voice communications.Examples of other network elements that may be used in support ofmessaging service message communications include, but are not limitedto, message centers (MCs) 39, home location registries (HLRs) 38, simplemessaging service point-to-point (SMPP) gateway 40, and other networkelements such as wireless internet gateways (WIGs), and visitor locationregisters (VLRs) (not shown). Other individual elements such as switchesand/or routers forming the traffic network 21 are omitted here formsimplicity. It will be understood that the various network elements cancommunicate with each other and other aspects of the mobilecommunications network 10 and other networks (e.g., the public switchedtelephone network (PSTN) and the Internet) either directly orindirectly.

The mobile switching center (MSC) 30 is responsible for managingcommunications between the mobile station and the other elements of thenetwork 10. In addition, the MSC 30 is responsible for handling voicecalls and messaging service message requests as well as other services(such as conference calls, FAX and circuit switched data, messagingservice communications, Internet access, etc.). The MSC 30 sets up andreleases the end-to-end connection or session, and handles mobility andhand-over requirements during the call. The MSC 30 also routes messagingservice messages to/from the mobile stations 13, typically from/to anappropriate MC 39. The MSC 30 is sometimes referred to as a “switch”.The MSC 30 manages the cell sites, the voice trunks, voicemail, and SS7links.

The message center (MC) 39, in some examples, allows messaging servicemessages to be exchanged between mobile telephones and other networks.For SMS messaging, for example, the MC 39 receives packet communicationscontaining text messages from originating mobile stations and forwardsthe messages via the signaling resources and the signaling channels tothe appropriate destination mobile stations. The MC 39 may receivemessages from external devices for similar delivery to mobile stations,and the MC 39 may receive similar messages from the mobile devices andforward them to servers or terminal devices, in either case, via anInternet Protocol (IP) packet data network.

In some examples, the MC 33 can also be considered or includefunctionality that may be considered that of a Short Messaging ServiceMessage Center (SMSC) or a Message Register (MR). Wireless carriersdeveloped the short message service (SMS) to transmit text messages fordisplay on the mobile stations. In many existing network architectures,the SMS traffic uses the signaling portion of the network 21 to carrymessage traffic between a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 39 and themobile stations. The SMSC 39 supports mobile station to mobile stationdelivery of text messages. However, the SMSC 39 also supportscommunication of messages between the mobile stations and devicescoupled to other networks. For example, the SMSC 39 may receive incomingIP message packets from the Internet 29 for delivery via the network 21,one of the base stations 19 and a signaling channel over the air link toa destination mobile station. For this later type of SMS relatedcommunications, the network 10 also includes one or more Short MessagePeer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol gateways 40.

In other examples, the MC 39 can include functionality related to theEnhanced Messaging Service (EMS) or Multimedia Messaging service (MMS).An EMS message can have special text formatting (e.g., such as bold oritalic), animations, pictures, icons, sound effects and special ringtones. MMS messages support the sending and receiving of multimediamessages (e.g., images, audio, video and their combinations) to (orfrom) MMS-enabled mobile stations. In some examples, the MC 39 can beconsidered in whole or in part a multimedia messaging service center(MMSC).

Although a single MC 39 is shown, a network 10 can have manygeographically dispersed MCs 39. The MCs 39 can include destinationrouting tables (DRTs). In essence the DRTs are databases within the MCs39. A DRT contains a list of the MDNs which are associated with thevarious MCs 39. For example, a first MDN is associated with a MC 39 inMinnesota while a second MDN is associated with a MC 39 in Virginia. TheDRTs are used to determine which MC 39 should attempt to deliver anincoming messaging service message to the destination MDN. For example,if a user associated with the MC in Minnesota sends a SMS to a userassociated with the MC 39 in Virginia, the Minnesota MC 39 sends the SMSto the Virginia MC 33 for delivery to the destination MDN. Thecommunication among the MCs 39 occurs using know protocols such SMPP andthe like.

The HLR 38, in some examples, stores a subscriber profile for each ofthe wireless subscribers and their associated mobile stations 13, 15,and 17. The HLR 38 may reside in an MSC 30 or in a centralized servicecontrol point that communicates with the MSC(s) 34 via an out-of-bandsignaling system such as an SS7 network. The HLR 38 stores for eachmobile subscriber the subscriber's mobile directory number (MDN), themobile identification number (MIN), and information specifying thewireless services subscribed to by the mobile subscriber, such asnumeric paging or text-based paging, data communication services, etc.Of course, the HLR 38 can also be a stand-alone device. The HLR alsotracks the current point of attachment of the mobile station to thenetwork, e.g., the identification of the MSC 30 with which the mobilestation is currently registered to receive service.

The visitor location register (VLR) (not shown) is, in some examples, atemporary database of the mobile stations that have roamed into theparticular area which it serves. The VLRs for a region often areimplemented in or in association with a MSC 30. Each base station 19 inthe network is served by a single VLR, hence a subscriber cannot bepresent in more than one VLR at a time. The data stored in the VLR haseither been received from the HLR 38, or collected from the mobilestation.

The SMPP gateway 40 provides functionality to transport messagingservice messages to other mobile communication networks and also receivemessaging service messages from other networks. The SMPP gateway 34supports communications using the SMPP protocol. SMPP gateways 40 areShort Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) gateways 40 used to connect thewireless communication network (such as an Internal Protocol IP networkon the left of the SMPP Gateway 40 in FIG. 1) to another network (suchas a public Internet network on the right of the SMPP Gateway 40 in FIG.1). The SMPP Gateway 40 allows the MC 39 to receive and send messages inIP packet format. The SMPP Gateway 40 is an entity within the wirelessnetwork 10 that acts as an intermediary between the wireless serviceprovider network and other networks. For example, the SMPP Gateway 40converts messages in protocol(s) used by other applications and devices,e.g. Extensible Markup Language (XML), Hypertext Mail Protocol (HTMP),etc., to and from the SMPP protocol. The SMPP messages ride on IPtransport, e.g., between the SMPP Gateway 40 and the MC 39.

In addition, the traffic network portion 21 of the mobile communicationsnetwork 10 connects to a private data network 36. The private datanetwork 36 connects to the traffic network portion 21 via a gateway (notshown). The gateway can provide protocol conversions between theprotocols used by the traffic network 21 and the protocols used by theprivate data network 36.

The private data network 36 can be in communication with variousauxiliary services servers, e.g., such as those providing additionalservices to the users of the network 10, and/or to operations supportpersonnel of the service provider or carrier that operates the network10. For example, the carrier can also offer its subscribers on-lineaccess to a variety of functions related to the subscribers' accounts,such as review of billing statements and usage data, on-line payment,subscription changes, password control or the like. For that purpose,the carrier can operate a customer account web server 41, offering a“MyAccount” type subscriber interface via the Internet, e.g., a “MyVerizon” page for a user having a Verizon Wireless account. Hence, auser's terminal, such as PC 31, may be used to access on-lineinformation about a subscriber's account, which the mobile carrier makesavailable via the carrier's MyAccount web site accessible through theInternet 29.

In addition, a group provisioning manager device (GPMD) 42, a zoneprovisioning device (ZPD) 43, and a service creation manager device(SCMD) 44 can be provided in communication with the private data network36 media content transfer functions, e.g., downloading of media content.The GPMD 42 can also be referred to as a group provisioning managernetwork device. For discussion purposes, each of the GPMD 42, ZPD 43,and SCMD 44 can be a stand-alone computing device such as a server. Thefunctionality described below with respect to each of the GPMD 42, ZPD43, and SCMD 44 can, however, be provided by one or multiple differentcomputing devices. In other words, the GPMD 42, ZPD 43, and SCMD 44 neednot be stand-alone computing devices in various configurations.

The SCMD 44 maintains provisioning information (e.g., previouslypurchased media content) for a particular end user and mobile station13. The SCMD can also maintain information about the prices for variousmedia content. For example, previously purchased media content can havea catalog price set to zero dollars ($0), to reflect the user alreadyhaving purchased such media content. The SCMD 44 can communicate theprovisioning information to the GPMD 42 and vice versa. Prices can varyaccording to mobile station make, model, and operating system. Ofcourse, other parameters can affect pricing.

During the media transfer process for a mobile device, the GPMD 42coordinates and controls various actions within the process. Forexample, the GPMD 42 communicates with the SCMD 44 via the privatenetwork 36 to gather and confirm various provisioning information (e.g.,information about previously purchased media content) for a particularend user and mobile station 13. For example, GPMD 42 can perform orcontrol an authorization-accounting (AAA) check, e.g., at a LDAP server(not shown), to ensure that a given user is authorized to receive mediacontent before download or provisioning occurs.

Based on the confirmed results, the GPMD 42 transmits provisioninginformation related to the user's mobile station to the ZPD 43. Theprovisioning information can include previously purchased media contentfor the particular end user and mobile station 13. In turn, the ZPD 43prepares, by communicating with the application server 32, the variousversions of the replacement media content for transmission to the mobilestation. The provisioning information can include items such as theprice of the media content, the network address of the applicationserver 32, and other information. After completing the provisioning ofthe replacement media content, e.g., application(s) and/or media, theZPD 43 notifies the GPMD 42.

In response, the GPMD cooperates with the network elements of the mobiletraffic network 21 to transmit a SMS message with download instructionsto the user. Of course, an EMS or MMS message can also be used. Theend-user of the mobile station can then execute the downloadinstructions to download the media content to the particular mobilestation 13 from the application server 32.

As outlined above, the example utilizes SMS type messaging transportthrough the network 10 to instruct a user on how to download previouslypurchased media content to a new mobile station 13, e.g., to a certifiedlike new replacement device or an upgraded device. A SMS messageincludes source and destination address fields. For messages from a userdevice, the source address is the MDN of the sending customer's mobilestation. For example, a SMS message sent from a mobile station 13includes the MDN of the mobile station 13 as the identifier of thesource of the message. The destination address may be a MDN of adestination station 13 or some other form of recognizable address. Ofnote for purposes of this discussion of media content transfer, one typeof alternative address is a short code, typically four, five, six,eight, or twelve digits. The network 10 routes a SMS message with a MDNdestination address all the way through to the addressed mobile station13, however, the network 10 routes a SMS message with a short codedestination address to a service provider application corresponding tothe short code.

SMS routing thus allows use of short codes as a mechanism to routemessages to/from a service provider, as opposed to communication ofmessages between end user devices. For this purpose, the short code isrecognized by a control application in the network as being a message toa service provider as opposed to a message between SMS user devices, andthe control application translates the short code to direct the messageto the appropriate service provider platform. Depending on the service,the application may process the message, e.g., to count votes; or thenetwork application may translate the short code to a destinationaddress, e.g., an IP address of an external customer's server, such asthe ESME server of a VASP.

For examples in accordance with FIG. 1, the group provisioning managerdevice 42 would have an assigned terminated or short code. Hence, theSMSC 39 routes outgoing messages received through the mobile network 10from mobile stations like 13, which have a short code for the messagedestination address of the group provisioning manager device 42, throughthe network 36 to that device 42. Each such incoming message wouldinclude the MDN of an identified mobile station 13, and the SMSC andother elements of the network 21 would deliver the SMS message to theappropriate station based on the MDN as the message destination address.

With reference to FIG. 2, a method of enabling an end-user of a mobilestation, e.g., a cell phone customer, to transfer their alreadypurchased media content to another mobile station, such as a replacementor upgraded mobile station 13 is shown and described. The method beginswith the user signing on to the user's account as accessed throughconnection with the customer account web server 41 and selecting themedia content to be transferred to a new mobile station 13, e.g., asindicated at S1. For example, a user could sign on to Web siteassociated with the user's mobile station account, e.g., a “My Verizon”page for a Verizon Wireless account, and then select “My MediaRetrieval.” In response, the SCMD 44 can capture provisioning eventsalong with user information corresponding to the user and mobile station13 and send such to the GPMD 42, e.g., as indicated at S2, forprovisioning for the user's new mobile station 13. The provisioning datacan include a zero-dollar ($0) catalog price for already-provisionedmedia content.

The GPMD 42, after receiving the provisioning information from the SCMD44 can query a network server such as a LDAP server as part of anauthentication-authorization-accounting (AAA) process, e.g., asindicated at S3, to confirm or deny the user's authorization to accessthe selected media content, e.g., as indicated at S4. A query to a LDAPserver can include a MDN/MIN, information about billing, e.g., pre-paid,and/or the type of environment or platform the media content isconfigured to run on, e.g., BREW. A failure notification can be sent bythe GPMD 42 in instances where there is inquiry error, e.g., LDAPresponse error.

In response to user confirmation, the GPMD 42 can send instructions(e.g., SID, ItemID, PH) for provisioning selected mobile station mediacontent (e.g., the user's selected previously purchased media content asselected in S1) to the ZPD 43, e.g., as a folder indicated in a networkdatabase accessible through the user's account) to access and download,e.g., as indicated at S5. The ZPD 43 can communicate with one or morezone servers (not shown) such as zone Web User Interface (WebUI) serverand zone application servers, and/or application server 32. Results ofthe provisioning (e.g., success or failures notices) can also be sent tothe user by way of the user's MyAccount on PC 31, e.g., as indicated atS6.

Once the newly provisioned media content has been sent to the user'sfolder in the network database (e.g., a zone server). the GPMD 42 cansend a SMS message to the user's mobile station 13 with instructions fordownloading the media content to the user's mobile station, e.g., asindicated at S7.

The user can then download the media content, e.g., by launching anappropriate program from the mobile station 13 or otherwise querying theapplication download server (ADS) 32, e.g., as indicated at S8. Otheractions can be taken as well. For example, one or more downloadacknowledgements can be sent from the ADS server to the user's mobilestation 13 and/or PC 31.

FIGS. 3 and 4 provide functional block diagram illustrations of generalpurpose computer hardware platforms. FIG. 3 illustrates a network orhost computer platform, as may be used to implement a server or othernetwork element (e.g., SMSC 29, GPMD 42 . . . ). FIG. 4 depicts acomputer with user interface elements, as may be used to implement apersonal computer (PC) or other type of work station or terminal device,although the computer of FIG. 4 may also act as a server ifappropriately programmed. It is believed that those skilled in the artare familiar with the structure, programming and general operation ofsuch computer equipment and as a result the drawings should beself-explanatory.

The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages ofsuch computers are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that thoseskilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. Of course, theserver functions may be implemented in a distributed fashion on a numberof similar platforms, to distribute the processing load.

Hence, aspects of the methods of media content transfer can be executedon, or facilitated with, a mobile station and on a network element suchas a server. Program aspects of the technology may be thought of as“products” or “articles of manufacture” typically in the form ofexecutable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied ina type of machine readable medium. “Storage” type media include any orall of the memory of the mobile stations, computers, processors or thelike, or associated modules thereof, such as various semiconductormemories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may providestorage at any time for the software programming. All or portions of thesoftware may at times be communicated through the Internet or variousother telecommunication networks. Such communications, for example, mayenable loading of the software from one computer or processor intoanother computer or processor. For example, previously purchased mediacontent (e.g., an application for backing up contact information, or aringtone, etc.) can be communicated to a user's mobile station 13 orother mobile station. Thus, another type of media that may bear thesoftware elements includes optical, electrical and electromagneticwaves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices,through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links.The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wirelesslinks, optical links or the like, also may be considered as mediabearing the software. As used herein, unless restricted to tangiblenon-transitory “storage” media, terms such as computer or machine“readable medium” refer to any medium that participates in providinginstructions to a processor for execution.

Hence, a machine readable medium may take many forms, including but notlimited to, a tangible storage medium, a carrier wave medium or physicaltransmission medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example,optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices in anycomputer(s) or the like, such as may be used to implement the dataaggregator, the customer communication system, etc. shown in thedrawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as mainmemory of such a computer platform. Tangible transmission media includecoaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires thatcomprise a bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission mediacan take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic orlight waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) andinfrared (IR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readablemedia therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk,hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD orDVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards paper tape, any otherphysical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM and EPROM,a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wavetransporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such acarrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can readprogramming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readablemedia may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or moreinstructions to a processor for execution

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present teachings areamenable to a variety of modifications and/or enhancements. For example,although some aspects of the present disclosure describe downloadingmedia content from a network to a mobile station 13, the downloadedmedia content can also be downloaded from a PC 31 while the end-user isaccessing their mobile account information via the customer account webserver 41.

While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the bestmode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modificationsmay be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may beimplemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may beapplied in numerous applications, only some of which have been describedherein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and allapplications, modifications and variations that fall within the truescope of the present teachings.

APPENDIX: ACRONYM LIST

The description above has used a large number of acronyms to refer tovarious services, messages and system components. Although generallyknown, use of several of these acronyms is not strictly standardized inthe art. For the convenience of the reader, the following listcorrelates terms to acronyms, as used by way of example in the detaileddescription above.

-   3GPP2: 3rd generation partnership project 2-   AAA: authentication-authorization-accounting-   ADS: application download server-   API: application programming interface-   BREW: binary runtime environment for wireless-   BS: base station-   BTS: base transceiver system-   CDMA: code division multiple access-   CD-ROM: compact disc read-only memory-   CLNR: certified like-new replacement-   DNDA: do not disturb application-   DVD: digital video disc-   DVD-ROM: digital versatile (video) disc read-only memory-   EPROM: erasable programmable read-only memory-   EV-DO: evolution-data optimized-   ESN: electronic serial number-   GPM: group provisioning manager-   GPMD: group provisioning manager device-   GSM: global system for mobile communications-   HLR: home location register-   IP: Internet protocol-   IR: infrared-   LBS: location based services-   LCD: liquid crystal display-   LDAP: lightweight directory access protocol-   LTE: long-term evolution-   MC: message center-   MDN: mobile directory number-   MIN: mobile identification number-   MPC: mobile positioning center-   MS: mobile station-   MSC: mobile switching center-   MT: mobile traffic-   PC: personal computer-   PN: pseudo-random noise-   PROM: programmable read-only memory-   PSTN: public switched telephone network-   RAM: random access memory-   RAN: radio access network-   RF: radio frequency-   SCM: service creation manager-   SCMD: service creation manager device-   SIF: Standard Interchange Format-   SMS: short messaging service-   SS7: signaling system 7-   STP: signaling transfer points-   TCP: transmission control protocol-   TDMA: time-division multiple access-   UMTS: universal mobile telecommunications system-   USB: universal serial bus-   VLR: visitor location register-   WAN: wide area network-   XCVR: transceiver-   ZPD: zone provisioning device

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising steps of: receiving a userselection to transfer previously purchased mobile station media contentassociated with the user's mobile account to a mobile station associatedwith the user's account; storing provisioning information with respectto the previously purchased mobile station media content to prepare themedia content for transmission to the mobile station associated with theuser's account; provisioning a server based on the stored provisioninginformation, to prepare the media content for download to the mobilestation; upon completion of the provisioning, transmitting aninstruction for downloading the media content from the server; andtransmitting a download of the media content through a mobilecommunication network to the mobile station in response to detectinguser execution of the transmitted instruction.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising: providing the user access to information aboutmobile station media content previously purchased by the user, via anon-line interface to the user's mobile account, wherein the step ofreceiving includes receiving a user input of a selection of mobilestation media content previously purchased by the user via the on-lineinterface to the account of the user.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinone or more of the storing, provisioning and transmitting steps areperformed upon determining, from the account of the user, that the useris authorized to access the previously purchased mobile station mediacontent.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user's mobile account isan account of the user for wireless services provided the mobilecommunication network.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein: an identifierassociated with the media content comprises an alphanumeric string, andthe transmitted instruction includes the alphanumeric string.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the alphanumeric string of the identifiercomprises a keyword.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofprovisioning includes setting a price for the media content from anon-zero amount to zero based upon the user having previously purchasedthe mobile station media content.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein thestep of transmitting the instruction comprises transmitting a mobilemessaging service message containing the instruction through a mobilecommunication network to the mobile station.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the step of transmitting the instruction comprises sending theinstruction to a Web page associated with the user's mobile stationaccount.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the download of the mediacontent includes one or more of: a software application, a ringtone,music, or video.
 11. An apparatus, comprising: a system of one or morecomputers; and a group provisioning manager device (GPMD), a zoneprovisioning device (ZPD), and an application server implemented on thesystem, wherein: the GPMD is configured to receive a user selection totransfer previously purchased mobile station media content associatedwith the user's mobile account to a mobile station associated with theuser's account; the ZPD is configured to provision the applicationserver based on provisioning information; the application server isconfigured to prepare the media content for download to the mobilestation, responsive to provisioning by the ZPD; the GPMD is furtherconfigured to transmit user an instruction for downloading the mediacontent from the server, upon completion of the provisioning; and theapplication server is further configured to transmit a download of themedia content through the mobile communication network to the mobilestation in response to detecting user execution of the transmittedinstruction.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, the GPMD is configured totransmit the instruction by transmitting a mobile messaging servicemessage containing the instruction through a mobile communicationnetwork to the mobile station.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:the GPMD has a messaging short code assigned thereto, and the GPMD isfurther configured to include the assigned short code in the mobilemessaging service message transmitted to the mobile station.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein: the GPMD is further configured toreceive a response to the transmitted instruction, from the mobilestation, and the application server is further configured to transmitthe download of the media content to the mobile station based upon theresponse received from the mobile station.
 15. The apparatus of claim11, further comprising a web server configured to: provide the useraccess to information about mobile station media content previouslypurchased by the user, via an on-line interface to the user's mobileaccount; and receive a user input of a selection of mobile station mediacontent previously purchased by the user via the on-line interface tothe account of the user.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, the GPMD isconfigured to transmit the instruction to a Web page associated with theuser's mobile station account.
 17. The apparatus of claim 11, furthercomprising: an authorization sever, wherein the GPMD is furtherconfigured to query the authorization server to determine whether or notthe user is authorized to receive mobile station media content.
 18. Anarticle of manufacture comprising: a non-transitory machine readablemedium; and instructions for execution by a system comprising acomputer, wherein execution of the instructions configures the system toperform functions, including functions to: receive a user selection totransfer previously purchased mobile station media content associatedwith the user's mobile account to a mobile station associated with theuser's account; store provisioning information with respect to thepreviously purchased mobile station media content to prepare the mediacontent for transmission to the mobile station associated with theuser's account; provision a server based on the stored provisioninginformation, to prepare the media content for download to the mobilestation; upon completion of the provisioning, transmit a downloadinstruction, for downloading the media content from the server; andtransmit a download of the media content through the mobilecommunication network to the mobile station in response to detectinguser execution of the transmitted download instruction.
 19. The articleof claim 18, wherein execution of the instructions configures the systemto transmit the download instruction so as to transmit a mobilemessaging service message containing the download instruction throughthe mobile communication network to the mobile station.
 20. The articleof claim 18, wherein execution of the instructions configures the systemto perform the function to transmit the download instruction so as tosend the download instruction to a Web page associated with the user'smobile station account.